NHL and Hockey Rumors for April 8, 2009

The Anaheim Ducks have signed free agent forward Dan Sexton to a two-year, entry-level contract. Sexton has spent the past two seasons with Bowling Green State University. Source

The New York Islanders have signed defenseman Mark Katic to a three-year, entry-level contract. Katic was the Isles' third round pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. Source

The Islanders have also re-signed forward Doug Weight to a one-year, $2.2 million contract extension, with bonuses.

The Ottawa Senators have signed coach Cory Clouston to a two-year contract.

Brochu's European rumor roundup:

Forwards Linus Omark and Johan Harju, who have played well for Lulea of the Swedish Elite League this season, have decided to sign with Dynamo Moskva (Moscow) of the KHL for the 2009-2010. The respective draft picks of the Edmonton Oilers and Tampa Bay Lightning were expected to sign with their NHL teams, but agent Patrik Aronsson has confirmed the transfer. Brochu's take: Omark has been the talk of the hockey world with his outrageous shootout goal on Youtube. They'll both get top-6 minutes in Russia, something they would never get in North America. Source

Swiss reports are saying that the Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers and Chicago Blackhawks have expressed their interest in forward Andres Ambuhl. Ambühl has an exit clause in his contract with HC Davos if he signs an offer from outside of Switzerland. Brochu's take: NHL teams have been keeping an eye on him for sometime. Click here for more on Ambuhl. Source

NHL and Hockey Rumors for April 7, 2009

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was in Las Vegas Monday to promote the 2009 NHL Awards Ceremony, to be held at the Palms Resort & Casino for the next three years. Although Bettman said he is not opposed to expanding the NHL to Las Vegas, he admitted it would not happen anytime soon. "Some league will be here," Bettman said. "Somebody's going to be first, but the stadium/arena issues, I think until they resolve, will preclude any serious consideration." Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman said he believes either the NHL or the NBA will move a team to Las Vegas once the city finds a way to build an arena. Brochu's take: The whole Vegas expansion has certainly been taken off the front burner, as the arena deal with producer Jerry Bruckheimer has been called off, and the current economic situation has scared off investors. But I do think at some point they will have a team there. Source

The Detroit Red Wings have signed free agent forward Francis Pare to a two-year, entry-level contract. Pare played this season with Detroit's AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins. Source

The Minnesota Wild have signed defenseman Marco Scandella to an entry-level contract. Scandella was the Wild's second round pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. Source

NHL and Hockey Rumors for April 6, 2009

According to Ken Campbell of The Hockey News, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks are the frontrunners for the services of free agent defenseman Matt Gilroy. Gilroy cannot sign with an NHL team until his Boston University is eliminated from the Frozen Four tournament. Brochu's take: Any team wishing to sign Gilroy should be wary. He is 24, which excludes him from entry-level contracts, thus making him a free agent. While there has been more focus on college free agents this year (cough cough Toronto media), the vast majority of signings don't pan out. Source

The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed forward Joe Vitale to a one-year contract. Vitale was the Pen's seventh round pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. Source

The Vancouver Canucks have signed free agent defenseman Evan Oberg to a three-year, entry-level contract. Oberg has spent the past two seasons with the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Source

Brochu's European rumor roundup:

Colorado Avalanche forward Per Ledin is rumored to be signing with Swedish club HV71 this summer. Source

Washington Capitals defenseman Staffan Kronwall is rumored to be signing with Timra once his contract expires this summer. Source

NHL and Hockey Rumors for April 3, 2009

The Boston Bruins have re-signed goalie Tim Thomas to a four-year, $20 million contract. Brochu's take: That's a lot of money for an older goalie. What's going to happen to Tuukka Rask? Source

The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed free agent forward Tyler Bozak to a two-year, entry-level contract. The contract could be worth up to $4 million if reaches all the bonuses. Source

The Washington Capitals have signed defenseman Joe Finley to a two-year, entry-level contract. Finley has spent the past four seasons with the University of North Dakota and was the Caps' first round pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. Source

The Pittsburgh Penguins have free agent goalie Brad Thiessen from Northeastern University. Source

The Los Angeles Kings have signed free agent forward Patrick Mullen to a two-year entry-level contract. Mullen is the son of NHL Hall of Famer Joey Mullen, and has spent the past four seasons with the University of Denver. Source

The Dallas Stars have signed forward Luke Gazdic to a three-year, entry-level contract. Gazdic has spent the past three seasons with Erie in the OHL. Source

The St. Louis Blues have signed forward Aaron Palushaj to an entry-level contract. Palushaj, 19, was drafted in the second round, 44th overall, in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. Source

NHL and Hockey Rumors for April 2, 2009

According to the LetsgoDU blog, Denver University free agent forward Tyler Bozak will be signing a contract with an NHL team in the next day or two, and the teams on the top of his list are the Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Avalanche and the New York Islanders. The Columbus Blue Jackets were in the running, but the Bozak camp has told them he is not interested. Source

The NHL have disciplined the Toronto Maple Leafs for their handling of defenseman Jonas Frogren last summer. Sources say the Leafs have been fined $500,000 for paying Frogren a $755,000 signing bonus which violated the CBA. The Maple Leafs will also have to pay an additional penalty in the form of a fourth draft pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Frogren's contract will not be affected. Brochu's take: What a cruel April Fool's joke on the Leafs, except it's no joke and a very serious matter. Source

The Philadelphia Flyers have signed forward James van Riemsdyk to a three-year, entry-level contract. He had been playing at the University of New Hampshire for the past two seasons and was the Flyer's 2nd overall pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. Source

The Washington Capitals have signed forward Stefan Della Rovere to a three-year, entry-level contract. Della Rovere was the Caps' seventh-round choice, 204th overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. Source

The Buffalo Sabres have signed defenseman Matt Generous to a one-year, entry-level contract. Generous has played the past four seasons with St. Lawrence University and was the Sabres' seventh-round pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. Source

The Los Angeles Kings have signed free agent forward Corey Elkins to a one-year entry-level contract. Elkins spent the past four seasons with Ohio State University. Source